Mentally Unstable
by OwlsOfOaks
Summary: (NP AU) Jaime is a transfer student from El Paso, and when he starts his first year at Keystone High, he meets a young Auburn who is considered a genius in the school, especially for his age, and seems to have a mental or social disability. As he tries to get him to open up, he runs into the boy's relatives, teachers, and students who won't get near him. (Jaime is 17 & Bart is 14)


Bart walked down the hallway, bag lazily slung over his shoulder. /Bio next/ he thought as he moved down the long, locker and student filled corridor. "Just like usual.." he mumbled to himself. Every day was the same thing. Wake up, eat, school, come home, study, sleep. Nothing was ever different. Nothing to look forward to. Only an ever going sequence of boring activities he had to repeat every weekday. Even on the weekends his parents made him study.

He sighed when he finally reached his classroom, and took a deep breath before pushing the door open and calmly walking in. The whole class looked up at him as he entered, only to immediately look away when he glanced at them. Everyone thought he was a bit strange, the fourteen year old who was a junior, considered a genius at his age, and using strange slang that no one had ever heard of. Crash and mode. Bart made it up one day, hoping to change at least something in his repetitive life. It was fine the first day, but it only seemed to mold into his lifestyle after a few days, changing nothing.

He strode over to his seat, setting his bag down next to his chair and putting his elbow on his desk to rest his cheek on. He looked out the window, allowing himself to slip into daydreaming. It was one of the few freedoms he was allowed. It was difficult to be free when the Teachers were always expecting the best from you, and everyone else expecting you to crack at any minute.

Everyone knew he was unhappy with his life and was slowly slipping away, bit by bit. They didn't do anything, though. They never bothered.

While Bart slipped into his day dreams, the door opened once again, a young Hispanic boy passing through. Jaime Reyes glanced over the room, looking for nothing a particular, when his gaze landed on the young "genius" sitting by his desk next to the window on the far side of the room. He recalled encountering him the day before.

[i]Jaime walked down the hallway, trying take in all his new surroundings. He and his family had moved to Central City only a week ago, and it was his first day at his new highschool. Everything was new, from the faces and attitudes to the schedule and layout, so its safe to say that it would be nerve racking. He was so absorbed with everything going on around him, he didn't realize the short auburn that was walking towards him, also appearing to be caught in his own train of thought.

They bumped into each other, causing Jaime to drop his bag he was carrying over his shoulder by the back strap, accompanied by the boy's slight squeak of surprise at the same moment. He stumbled, and began falling over, when someone grabbed his wrist and kept him from hitting the ground. He regained his balance after grabbing the person's wrist in return. "A-ah!" he stuttered before looking up to the young boy who had both bumped and saved him, and managed to sputter out; "Lo siento, amigo! Gracias!", unintentionally slipping into his native language.

The auburn simply looked him, his evergreen eyes piercing his own brown ones. Jaime gazed back, taking these moments to examine the student. He had a thin build, almost runner's body, well kept auburn hair that was messily parted over his head, pale skin, but without the freckles that so usually came with auburns and gingers, and evergreen eyes, common with those of his hair color and skin tone. Those eyes... They were a pretty color, but they almost seemed to be missing a certain light, as if he was... Empty.

He blinked a few times before looking down at Jaime's bag on the ground, the contents spilled out on the floor on contact with it. He mumbled a faint "Sorry" and crouched down to begin collecting Jaime's belongings. Jaime was about to join him, when he realized that almost everyone around them were staring at him and the auburn, but mostly the latter.

He heard faint whispers of "Did you see that?" and "Is the 'genius' gonna be alright?", along with a few "You think he'll snap?" from some of the observers. Jaime didn't know what they were talking about. Sure, the kid seemed a bit odd, but it was nothing to get worked up over.

He proceeded to join the auburn on the floor, only to discover that he had already collected almost of all his papers, pencils, and other school supplies off the ground. Jaime blinked in surprise. 'Dios mio, he's fast' he thought.

The younger of the two stood, still clutching all of the Hispanic's belongings to his chest in a messy fashion as he did. Jaime quickly stood after him once he had collected the few things the auburn had left behind, and looked him in the eyes once he did.

His expression hadn't changed, the same dull look he had from before remained upon his young face. "Thanks" Jaime chirped, spreading a smile across his face as he spoke, trying to get some kind of reaction from the shorter Caucasian. The younger's eyes widened slightly and his eye brows raised, before blinking a few more times.

Jaime was about to say something else, but the auburn boy spoke before he could even get a word out. It was quiet and his voice wavered a bit, but it was enough. "Y-you're welcome..." he stuttered, sounding unsure of his words. "That..That is what you say when someone thanks you, right?" he questioned a little louder. [/i]


End file.
